Kate Middleton Just Brilliantly Pulled Off Another Cape Dress

On Nov. 22, Kate Middleton attended a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, thus making her first black-tie appearance as the Princess of Wales. (The event welcomed the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, to the U.K. — and was also the first state visit in King Charles III’s reign.) For the aforementioned banquet, Middleton wore a white dress from Jenny Packham. The elegant cape-sleeve gown made for an angelic, princess-worthy look and paired beautifully with the her regal accouterments.

Now the plot twist: Middleton’s dazzling silhouette was, in fact, a wedding dress from Jenny Packham’s 2021 bridal range. The gown, dubbed Elspeth, featured a fitted bodice, a flared skirt, cape sleeves, and sparkly floral embellishments on both shoulders. For accessories, she stepped into a pair of Gianvito Rossi’s mesh, crystal-embellished Rania pumps and carried a pearly white satin Butterfly Box clutch from Alexander McQueen.

For jewelry, she went with a duo of lustrous baubles that previously belonged to Princess Diana: a pair of South Sea pearl earrings and Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara. The headpiece was a favorite of her late mother-in-law and echoed the glimmering detailing on Middleton’s dress. The princess topped off her OOTD with the Royal Family order, as well as the Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order star and sash — and finished the outfit by attaching an Art Deco Diamond Set Brooch by Bentley & Skinner to it.

Another thing to note here is that Middleton seems to have a soft spot for Jenny Packham’s high-shine creations. In particular, she loves the label’s glitzy cape designs. Her gold sequin cape gown, which she famously wore at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, came from the British fashion designer, too. The royal is also a big fan of Jenny Packham’s green sequin Georgia gown, which she wore not once but twice — two years apart. The label’s dresses have earned a permanent place in her wardrobe.

Middleton always looks incredible, but her state dinner outfit was even more glamorous and eye-catching than her usual formal attire. For those who want to get their hands on Middleton’s exact gown: You can still pre-order one for yourself via District 6 Boutique, or scoop up one of the identical styles ahead.